Twitter has disclosed that it tracks its users’ movements across the web, in a
bid to suggest relevant content to tweeters, but it will now offer the
chance to opt out of that process.

In an email sent to its users today about changes to its service and privacy policy, Twitter said: “We’ve provided more details [in our new privacy policy] about the information we collect and how we use it to deliver our services and to improve Twitter.

“One example: our new tailored suggestions feature, which is based on your recent visits to websites that integrate Twitter button or widgets, is an experiment that we’re beginning to roll out to some users in a number of countries.”

In the company’s updated privacy policy, the collection of users’ data across third party websites which have a Twitter button installed is explained in more detail: “We may tailor content for you based on your visits to third-party websites that integrate Twitter buttons or widgets… While we have the widget data, we may use it to tailor content for you, such as suggestions for people to follow on Twitter. Tailored content is stored with only your browser cookie ID and is separated from other Widget Data such as page-visit information.”

Twitter will now offer its users the chance to turn off this feature, which is not currently available in Europe. After a maximum of 10 days, Twitter begins the process of deleting or “aggregating widget data, which is usually instantaneous but in some cases may take up to a week”.

The update to its privacy policy comes after Twitter came under fire earlier this year for copying the content of peoples’ entire address books from their mobile phones and storing the information on its servers, without many of its users realising.

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As a result of this practice coming under scrutiny, the San Francisco-based microblogging company promised to update its privacy settings to ensure it is more explicit about what personal data people are sharing when using Twitter on their smartphones.

The update came today the company’s full privacy policy can be read here.

Twitter also announced that a new weekly email will be sent to its users containing “the most interesting news and items” people might have missed from fellow tweeters they follow on the service and that there was an update to its mobile app.